I’m every woman, it’s all in me I can read your thoughts right now Every one from A to Z…..

I can cast a spell, of secrets you can tell Mix a special brew, put fire inside of you Anytime you feel danger or fear Then instantly I will appear ’cause

I’m every woman, it’s all in me..

Yes, I am every woman. I am proud of my femininity. Proud of my indomitable spirit. Proud of rising liking a phoenix every time I am pushed down. Proud of dreaming big. Proud of my desires. Proud of owning my temptation.

A few days back there was an event in Kolkata that saw the launch of a new brand identity of Secret Temptation from the house of McNROE with the tagline “Own Your Temptation“. The tagline was chosen because the brand wants to encourage and empower people to pursue their temptations. To not be intimated and work towards achieving their dreams till it becomes part of their identity.

Secret Temptation Desire Body Spray

I like the tagline. More so as a woman because owning our temptation is not something we are encouraged to do in our society. Women have to be submissive. Women have to be satisfied with very little. Women cannot pursue their goals aggressively but women have to support their men while they do that. Women have to be selfless. Women cannot have desires. Women have to be this. Women have to be that etc etc. These absurd archaic stereotypes need to be demolished. Women can be whoever they want to be. And it is time the world wakes up to women chasing their desires, their temptations.

On a personal note, I have always believed in doing exactly what I wanted and working hard for it. From proving my worth in a financial organisation with an arts background to sustaining a blog for the last six years without having any writing or blogging experience whatsoever. For me, owning my temptation means never having any regrets because at one point everything that I’d do would be exactly what I’d wanted 🙂

Secret Temptation Desire Body Spray

Secret Temptation Desire

Desire, the new fragrance from Secret Temptation is created for the woman who is confident, passionate and is not afraid of expressing her desire to achieve what she wants. A new entry into Secret Temptation’s existing range of perfumed body sprays, Desire is an intoxicating fragrance of Turkish roses, germanium and musk. The fragrance is feminine, elegant, sensual and super-wearable.

I’ve not done a haul post in a really long time so this is basically one. Earlier this month when I was in London, Kiko Milano was having a fabulous sale where they were giving two products free with two products on practically everything in the store. It was an opportunity I definitely did not want to miss so I ended up buying some stuff. If you are interested to see what I got, read on.

Kiko Milano Makeup Haul

Kiko Milano Haul

Kiko Milano Water Eye Shadow 218 Grapefruit Pink

Kiko makes some incredible eye makeup and I absolutely love their Water Eye Shadow range. These can be used both Wet and Dry and they have very good pigmentation and finish. It also helps that the shadows look gorgeous. They come in a sleek, black square compact and when you open, the eye shadow looks so pretty with its swirly wave effect.

Kiko Milano Water Eye Shadow 218

The color I went for is Grapefruit Pink (218), a gorgeous peachy pink with golden frosted sheen. It is kinda similar to MAC’s Expensive Pink eye shadow. The colour is excellent as an eye shadow for sure but it is also very pretty as a highlighter and that is primarily the reason why I bought it. You can also check no 219 Flamingo Pink which is similar but has more pink in it. Both these shades are really worth buying.

Kiko Milano Water Eye Shadow 218 Swatch

Kiko Milano Long Lasting Stick Eye Shadows – 20, 37, 11

My introduction to Kiko Milano was through their range of Long Lastick Stick Eye Shadows. These are very creamy, easy to wear, glide on smoothly with excellent pigment deposit and stay on for nearly the entire day without creasing or fading. I use these sticks both as eye shadow and eye pencil and absolutely love them. This time I picked up three shades – Black (20), Burgundy (37) and Teal (11).

Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eye Shadows

Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eye Shadow Swatches

Kiko Milano Smart Colour Blush 05 Coral

I picked up the shade Coral because the colour usually looks very good on medium to dark skin tones. It has a matte finish and while I have only swatched it till now, I am very impressed by the texture and pigmentation. It feels super smooth and colour payoff looks great.

Kiko Milano Smart Colour Blush 05

Kiko Milano Smart Color Blush 05 Swatch

Kiko Milano Full Coverage Concealer 06 Caramel

I was in need of a full coverage concealer, I saw this one on sale, I tried it in the store, liked the result so bought it. It is a cream concealer but is not greasy at all. I’ve not used it yet so can’t say how good or bad it is. Will share my thoughts later.

Kiko Milano Skin Tone Concealer 07 Caramel

This is supposed to be a “Fluid smoothing concealer with natural finish“. It gives medium coverage and is said to be perfect for everyday wear. I picked this up because I needed an everyday use concealer and also because I liked the description. In this range, there are two corrective shades as well -green and peach, suitable for all complexions. Will share my thoughts on this once I start using it.

Kiko Milano Radiant Fusion Baked Powder 06 Cocoa

The MUA in the store used this powder on me and I loved the finish. It gives a subtle glow to the skin but does not make it look too glittery or oily/greasy. It feels really silky and ultra-fine and goes on smoothly. The powder gives medium coverage but makes the skin look really nice.

Kiko Milano Concealer & Powder Swatches

Kiko Milano Haul

That was my Kiko Milano haul. One more haul post is coming up where I’ll show mostly skin and hair products that I bought from Boots so stay tuned for it.

Have you tried Kiko products? What are your favourites? I’d love to know.

MAC has been one of my favourite makeup brands for years and there was a time when I would eagerly wait for each and every one of their collections. There was a maddening urge to grab atleast one Limited Edition piece simply because it was from MAC. But then they started releasing collections faster than I could cope up with and with every new launch, my interest and excitement levels also started going down. The shades looked the same, there was nothing new that was coming out and with much grief, I was forced to take a break from my makeup love. The break lasted for about a year. And then the MACxPADMA Collection came out. One look and I fell hook, line and sinker for that gold packaging.

MACxPADMA Collection

MACxPADMA Collection

I was in Sheffield when the collection launched in Nykaa and unfortunately because of the time difference, almost all the products were sold out before I could check the app. Hence, I settled for two pieces – Sumac lipstick (Rs 1500), a dark plum and Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Bordeauxline/Molé Brown (Rs 1320), a dark purple/ plum and cool brown.

Apart from the luxurious and eye-catching gold packaging which I read came right from her kitchen (the design is a copy of her Turkish plates), the best thing I feel about the collection is that it is very brown girl friendly. But do the products actually perform? Read on to find out my views on the stuff that I have.

Yes, there is New Kama To Love! My favourite skincare brand, Kama Ayurveda, is out with a bunch of new products. If you follow me on Instagram, you must have seen the posts and stories where I’ve shown you what they are. There are two foaming cleansers for sensitive and acne-prone skin, a day face cream for sensitive skin and an all-natural makeup remover. If you want to know what I think of each product, read on for the reviews.

New Kama To Love

Kama Ayurveda New Launches

New Kama To Love – Kama Ayurveda New Launches

If your skin is prone to rashes, redness and inflammation, the Sensitive Skin Cleansing Foam(Rs 795 for 50 ml) & Sensitive Skin Day Cream(Rs 1795 for 50 gm) can be great options. Both products are enriched with sandalwood oil, aloe vera and calendula, ingredients that are gentle on the skin and known for their healing properties. Another ingredient in these products is the Poria Cocos mushroom. It is supposed to be an ancient Asian medicinal remedy for anti-inflammation and also it is said to prevent cellular tissue destruction.

Kama Ayurveda Sensitive Skin Cleansing Foam

Kama Ayurveda Sensitive Skin Day Cream

I have been using both the products quite regularly over the last three weeks and here’s what I like about them.

The cleansing foam is very gentle on the skin and after washing off, it does not make the skin dry and taut

It also removes dirt, oil and impurities effectively and gives a clean, fresh feeling

The fragrance is mild and pleasant

What I like about the Day Cream is that it is light and gets absorbed quite easily. Even though it is a cream, it does not make the skin oily or greasy

It hydrates the skin quite well and is perfect for applying under makeup because it blends into the skin instantly and creates a smooth base

No breakouts or pimples have resulted after using the cream.

Kama Ayurveda Anti Acne Cleansing Foam:

The Anti Acne Cleansing Foam (Rs 595 for 50 ml) is enriched with Neem oil, Tulsi and Tea Tree, powerful ingredients that work to prevent acne and skin breakouts. Other ingredients include plant-derived Salicylic Acid to deep cleanse, reduce breakouts and boost the process of skin renewal, Comfrey-derived Allantoin, a mild conditioner and healer for damaged and distressed skin tissue along with Calendula flower and Aloe Vera extracts to cool and soothe the skin.

Kama Ayurveda Anti Acne Cleansing Foam

I am not facing acne problems right now but I’m very impressed by the ingredients list and considering how good Kama Ayurveda’s products are, if you have acne-prone skin, this cleanser should be effective for you.

Kama Ayurveda All Natural Makeup Remover:

The All Natural Makeup Remover(Rs 1195) is probably my favourite product of all the new launches. Firstly, because I am a sucker for anything that has rose in it. Secondly, I love rich, creamy and luxurious makeup removers. Thirdly, because this product is all natural. It has natural oils like olive, jojoba, castor seed, rose and jasmine along with Shea Butter. All these ingredients ensure that the product smells really nice and has lovely, soft, creamy texture.

Kama Ayurveda All Natural Makeup Remover

I massage the cream into my face which melts off the makeup and then I take a damp cotton pad and wipe it off. For stubborn makeup like waterproof eyeliner, mascara and matte lipstick, it takes more than one application to get them off but I really like how smooth and soft the cream makes my skin after wiping the makeup away.

I’ve been waiting for a long time to see what new products Kama Ayurveda comes out with and I’m really happy with them. With age, I am moving more towards an all natural beauty regime and these new products fit into that perfectly. Not only do they care for the skin, they are also effective.

Have you tried any of the new Kama Ayurveda products? Do share your thoughts in the comments below.

After launching a makeup line last month, The Body Shop is back with a number of new skin care products. Amongst them are the Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask, British Rose Petal-Soft Gel Toner, Chinese Ginseng & Rice Toner and Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Powder. Out of the four, I have three products sent to me by the brand and I’ve been trying them out every day for the last 1.5 weeks. Here are my initial thoughts on these new launches.